Kenya's coastal city, Mombasa, has gained additional flights from the United Arab Emirates as flydubai commenced its non-stop service from Dubai International Airport (DXB) to Moi International Airport (MBA). While there are other flights between the two countries, flydubai became the first UAE national carrier to operate flights on this route.

Inaugural flight to Mombasa

flydubai announced the addition of Mombasa to its network in August 2023 as part of its drive to expand operations in Africa. The inaugural flight, FZ1289, was operated on January 17, 2024, with its Boeing 737 MAX 8. According to Flightradar24, it departed DXB at 10:15 and landed at MBA at 14:16, where it was welcomed with the traditional water cannon salute. You can find the flights on this route on sale here.

Photo: flydubai

The return flight FZ1290 departed Mombasa at 16:15 and arrived in Dubai at 22:16 local time. The service is operated four times a week on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, with the Boeing 737-8 on certain days and 737-800 on others. The schedule is as follows (all times local):

Flights depart from Dubai International's Terminal 3, and according to flydubai, Emirates will codeshare on the route to offer passengers even more travel options and connections through the UAE's primary airport. Senior Kenyan government officials and representatives of the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) received the inaugural flight.

Photo: flydubai

Mombasa sits on the Southeastern coast of Kenya and is about 227 NM (420 km) from Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta Airport (NBO). Moi International is Kenya's second-busiest airport, handling nearly 12% of all flights annually. KAA's Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Henry Ogoy, highlighted the importance of flydubai's new service, saying,

"Today marks a significant milestone in the ever-changing aviation landscape in our beloved country. The arrival of flydubai to Moi International Airport not only enhances connectivity between our nations but also represents a testament to the vibrant and growing partnership between Kenya and the UAE."

Expanding services in Africa

The introduction of Mombasa represents flydubai's commitment to expanding in Africa. The carrier now serves 12 destinations around the continent, including Addis Ababa (ADD), Dar es Salaam (DAR), Entebbe (EBB), and Zanzibar (ZNZ). Last year, it became the first UAE airline to fly to Cairo Sphinx Airport (SPX). Its international network now covers 123 destinations in 54 countries.

Photo: FlyDubai

With white sandy beaches and exotic resorts, Mombasa is one of the most-visited tourist cities in East Africa. flydubai's new service is expected to facilitate trade between the two countries and offer passengers from the UAE and its global network an opportunity to explore Kenya's tourism offerings. The carrier's Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations (UAE, GCC, Subcontinent, and Africa), Sudhir Sreedharan, added,

"flydubai’s inaugural flight to Mombasa reflects our commitment to further strengthening our network in Africa and to providing our passengers with more options for convenient travel to one of East Africa’s most attractive destinations."

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Flydubai joins Kenya Airways on the route. The Kenyan national carrier operates four weekly flights on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays with its Boeing 737 aircraft. However, it also offers non-stop daily flights from Nairobi to Dubai. As of January 2024, about 13 airlines serve Mombasa, including Ethiopian Airlines, Condor, and Discover Airlines.

What are your thoughts on flydubai launching flights to Mombasa? Have you ever been to this vibrant city before? Please let us know in the comments!